This letter was jointly developed by offices within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S Department of Education (ED) to support increased collaboration between State Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C early intervention programs.

Data show that despite these longstanding newborn hearing screening and early intervention programs, there are critical gaps in services for deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) infants and toddlers. Therefore, within HHS, the Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau (HRSA/MCHB) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (CDC/NCBDDD) join with ED’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) to encourage State EHDI programs and IDEA Part C early intervention programs within States to develop coordinated systems of care that include data sharing, tracking, and surveillance to support timely early identification of hearing loss and access to early intervention services to foster optimal outcomes for DHH children and their families.

Read the full letter: Joint Dear Colleague Letter on Early Hearing Detection and Intervention and Part C Programs (Aug. 5, 2024)

Published August 2024.